Amash breaks from GOP, 'not ruling out' 2020 presidential race

Wednesday

WASHINGTON, D.C. — West Michigan Congressman Justin Amash has gotten national attention for "not ruling out" running in the 2020 presidential race, and a key moment during Michael Cohen's testimony before Congress.

Amash, R-Cascade Township, is chairman of the House Liberty Caucus, and has a history of breaking from his Republican counterparts. This was most recently demonstrated when Amash was among 13 Republicans to vote with Democrats last week to pass a resolution attempting to overturn President Donald Trump's emergency declaration to build a border wall.

He also is one of a few Republican representatives who criticize Trump, and did not endorse the president in the 2016 election.

Amash tweeted on Feb. 28, "If you think my job is to support the president one hundred percent, then you don't understand what it means to be a representative in Congress. My job is to support the Constitution one hundred percent and to represent all the people of my district by protecting their rights."

If you think my job is to support the president one hundred percent, then you don’t understand what it means to be a representative in Congress. My job is to support the Constitution one hundred percent and to represent all the people of my district by protecting their rights.

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) February 28, 2019//

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During the House Oversight Committee hearing Feb. 27 where Cohen testified to Congress, most Republicans spent their time trying to discredit Cohen, highlighting how Trump's former lawyer previously lied to Congress.

Cohen appeared to be stumped when Amash, who represents Michigan's Third Congressional District, asked him, "What is the truth that you know that President Trump fears most?"

After a pause, Cohen responded, "That's a tough question, sir. I don't have an answer for that one."

When Amash was interviewed after the committee hearing by WOOD TV-8, he expressed his distaste for how most hearings are conducted. He said he was trying to get anything that would be helpful to the investigative process, but Cohen could not give him a good answer.

Amash has criticized Trump and the Republican Party for supporting President Trump's emergency declaration, which he has called unconstitutional because it overrides Congress. He tweeted March 4: "You may defeat political opponents for a time by abandoning your principles, but you can persuade opponents to become allies only by living your principles."

You may defeat political opponents for a time by abandoning your principles, but you can persuade opponents to become allies only by living your principles.

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) March 4, 2019//

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Will Amash soon try to persuade his opponents to support him in the 2020 presidential race?

He said he "would never rule anything out" when he was asked Sunday on CNN by Jake Tapper if he would consider running for president as a Libertarian in the next election.

"That's not on my radar right now, but I think that it is important that we have someone in there who is presenting a vision for America that is different from what these two parties are presenting," he said.

Debates have turned into partisan rhetoric, and whether or not people agree with Trump, Amash said on CNN.

"I think that we need to return to basic American principles, and talk about what we have in common as a people because I believe we have a lot in common as Americans," he added. "And try to move forward together, rather than fighting each other all the time."

Third-party candidates, while still not considered contenders compared to major party candidates, have increased in popularity. Some Hillary Clinton supporters blamed the success of third-party candidates on Trump winning the 2016 presidential election.

In 2016, Gary Johnson received over 3 percent of the popular vote, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein received 1 percent. Candidates who did not represent either of the two major parties got a total of about 4.9 percent of the popular vote. In 2012, non-major party candidates were supported by 1.7 percent of the vote, and 1.4 percent in 2008, according to reporting from The Guardian.